Air pressure gauge for automobile wheels



Dec. 2, 1941.

R. E. MANNING ET AL 2,265,077

AIR PRESSURE GAUGE FOR AUTOMOBILE WHEELS Filed Nov. 14, 1938 I -sa= 17 Z36 33 l 37 27 28 s as 1 l J 1 l---- -l: 1 5* I ll 1 L g a;

I 23 33 .3 o w 22 &L

In veniors EAL PH 1? MANN/N6 GUY 1C STANDEN.

Attorneys Patented Dec. 2, 1941 AIR PRESSURE GAUGE FOE AUTOMOBILE WHEELSY Ralph E. Manning and Guy K. Standen, Miami, Fla., am'gnors oione-fourth to Lewis G. Eaker, one-fourth to W. F. Gillette, andone-fourth to F. S. Cassidy, and one-fourth to said Manning,

all of Miami, Fla.

Application November 14, 1938, Serial No. 240,394

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in means forindicating to automobile drivers the air pressure condition of thewheels of the vehicle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide indicatingmeans for installation on the usual instrument board of the vehicleadapted to indicate to the driver the exact pressure of the air in thevehicle supporting wheels of the automobile, to the end that the vehiclewill not be operated on under-inflated tires.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent tothe reader of the following speciflcation.

In the drawing:

The figure shows a fragmentary detailed sectional view through the wheelswitch means.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that a fitting l4 protrudes through an opening l5 from theannulus l6, and extends into the inflated pneumatic tube ll, interposedbetween the said annulus I6 and the annulus It, the annulus l8 having aflange portion l9 which interlaps with the stationary annulus l6. Thesetwo annular members It and it are concaved at their opposed sides toconform with the normal curvature of the inflatable tube I'l. Numeral 20represents a case which is flanged as at 2| and bolted as at 22 to theinner side of the brake housing 23. The case 20 is provided with skirtportion 23a through which projects the rods 24, these rods projectingrigidly from the annulus I8 and being bolted or otherwise secured as at25 to the ring 26 against which the transversely curved roller 26a isoperative. rotatably mounted within the yoke 21 at the lower portion orthe arm 28 which is rockably supported as at 29 and has its upperportion operating through the upper portion 30 in the stationary wall 3|0! the brake housing and in the box 32 of the rheostat unit generallyreferred to by numeral 33. In this unit 33 is the resistance unit 34against which the contact head 35 at the upper end of the arm 28 rides.A sprin 38 between the upper portion of the arm 28 and the box 32 servesto constant pull the lower end of the arm toward the ring 28.

Adjusting screws 31 are provided on the case 20 and between the outereye ends of these screws and the eyes 38 on the ring 26 are the springs39.

A binding post 40 is provided on the box 32 and his is connected as atII to the resistance This roller is unit 34, and is connected to anindicating instrument (not shown).

It can now be seen that in the event the air pressure in the wheel tube1 drops, the inflation of the small inflatable tube I! will drop,allowing the springs 39 to pull the ring 26 in an outward direction withthe result that the roller 26a following the ring 26 will allow the arm28 to swing upwardly and move its contact 35 along the resistanceelement 34 thus effecting a visible change on the indicating instrument(not shown).

As can be seen in the drawing a vent 20a is provided in the case 20 forthe purpose of preventing the occurrence of air pressure between thecase 20 and the annulus I8 from interfering with the free movement ofsaid annulus i8.

Obviously, the apparatus aforedescribed can be used not only on and inconjunction with the pneumatic wheels of land vehicles but also inconnection with the pneumatic wheels of aircraft, and furthermore thisindicating apparatus can also be used in conjunction with dual wheels.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A tire condition indicator control for pneumatic wheels comprising awheel, an annular skirted casing carried thereby and rotatabletherewith. a fixed annular channeled member in said casing, a secondannular channeled member adjustably mounted in said casing foroverlapping relation with respect to said first mentioned channeledmember, a pneumatic tube disposed between said channeled members havingan air connection with the customary tire casing inner tube, a pluralityof pins extending through the skirted casing in contact with theadlustably mounted channeled member, a ring secured to and supported bythe inner ends of said pins. resilient tensioning means exteriorlydisposed about the skirt portion of said casing connecting the same tosaid ring, a rheostat carried by the wheel in fixed position. and arockable rheostat contact arm having a roller at its inner end in ridingengagement with said ring to eflect variations in the rheostat settingdue to variations in tube pressure.

RALPH E. MANNING. GUY K. STANDEN.

